Action Alert #3 LRS Budget in House Appropriations

March 6, 2026

On Tuesday, March 10^th at 9:00 AM, the House Appropriations Committee will discuss the proposed Fiscal Year 27 budget for Louisiana Works, which begins July 1^st.

Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) is part of Louisiana Works. LRS helps people with disabilities get ready for work, find jobs, and keep jobs.

About $72 million in federal funding is available to support the work of LRS. To receive the full amount, the state must provide matching funds.

Right now, Louisiana does not provide enough matching funds to access all of the federal money.

Key Facts:

~ $72 million in federal funding is available

~ $30 million in federal funding was not used last year (FY25)

~ $155 million in federal funding has been missed over the past five years

An investment of $6.7 million in State General Funds would allow Louisiana to access the full federal funding available for LRS.

With full funding, LRS could:

• Serve more people with disabilities
• Help more people find and keep jobs
• Support greater independence
• Strengthen Louisiana’s workforce
• Support economic growth in our state

Click HERE for more information.

How to Take Action

If employment opportunities for people with disabilities are important to you, sharing your experiences or concerns with House Appropriations committee members can be helpful.

Email or call the Chair and committee members before the March10^th meeting. You can find contact information for the Chair and members at the end of this alert.

You can also email your comments and concerns to [email protected].

When sharing comments, it’s helpful to include:

• Your name
• Your contact information
• The topic you are writing about (Louisiana Rehabilitation Services)
• A brief description of your experience or viewpoint

It is always helpful to thank members for their time and attention.

Contact your LaCAN Leader if you need help with this alert or would like more information.

Committee meetings can be viewed live on the Louisiana Legislature’s website. When the meeting is active, there will be a link to click and watch the meeting.

Committee Members are sorted by region. Find your region!

Committee Members are sorted by region. Find your region!

All Regions	Committee Chairman
Jack McFarland	[email protected]	(318) 259-4275
Region 1	New Orleans Area
Aimee Adatto Freeman	[email protected]	(504) 861-1614
Alonzo Knox	[email protected]	(504) 568-3101
Region 2	Baton Rouge/Capital Area
Roy Daryl Adams	[email protected]	(225) 634-7470
Barbara Carpenter	[email protected]	(225) 771-5674
Barbara Reich Freiberg	[email protected]	(225) 763-3500
Vanessa LaFleur	[email protected]	(225) 925-6880
Denise Marcelle	[email protected]	(225) 359 -9362
Region 3	Houma/Thibodaux Area
Beryl Amedee	[email protected]	(985) 858-2967
Jerome Zeringue	[email protected]	(985) 876-8823
Region 4	Lafayette/Acadiana Area
Rhonda Butler	[email protected]	(337) 363-3900
Region 5	Lake Charles/Southwest LA Area
Dewith Carrier	[email protected]	(318) 355-0206
Charles “Chuck” Owen	[email protected]	(337) 460-8726
Phillip Tarver	[email protected]	(337) 472-8186
Region 6	Alexandria/Central LA Area
Rhonda Butler	[email protected]	(337) 363-3900
Jason Dewitt	[email protected]	(318) 277-7475
Jack McFarland (Chair)	[email protected]	(318) 259-4275
Charles “Chuck” Owen	[email protected]	(337) 460-8726
Region 7	Shreveport/Northwest LA Area
Larry Bagley	[email protected]	(318) 925-9588
Dodie  Horton	[email protected]	(318) 949-2463
Jack McFarland (Chair)	[email protected]	(318) 259-4275
Region 8	Monroe/Northeast LA Area
Adrian Fisher	[email protected]	(318) 556-7001
Jack McFarland (Chair)	[email protected]	(318) 259-4275
Francis Thompson	[email protected]	(318) 878-9408
Region 9	Hammond/Northshore Area
Stephanie Hunter Berault	[email protected]	(985) 640-9795
Kimberly Landry Coates	[email protected]	(985) 551-1424
Shane Mack	[email protected]	(225) 686-7500
Region 10	Jefferson/New Orleans Area
John Illg, Jr.	[email protected]	(504) 737-0315
Timothy Kerner	[email protected]	(504) 689-7725
Rodney Lyons	[email protected]	(504) 510-5417

Confirm Your Action

• Email your LaCAN Leader after you take action
• Why confirm your action? This helps the Council know how effective we are reaching you with important information and engaging members across our state in advocacy for systems change.

Tips & Tools for Advocacy

Looking for tips and tools to help you in your advocacy? Check out the Council’s Advocacy 101 page. You can also find tips for:

• Writing/emailing your legislators
• Calling your legislators
• Writing your story